cease-fire
Meaning
a temporary stopping of fighting, typically during a war
Structure
Usage
the two sides agreed to a 24-hour cease-fire to allow humanitarian aid into the city.
violations of the fragile cease-fire threatened to restart full-scale conflict.
un mediators are working to broker a lasting cease-fire between the warring factions.
Etymology
the compound noun 'cease-fire' is a modern military and diplomatic term. it literally combines the verb 'cease', meaning to stop or bring to an end, with 'fire', which in this context is a metonymic extension of its military sense meaning the discharge of weapons. the term's logic is transparent: it denotes an order or agreement to stop shooting. while both roots have ancient indo-european origins, their combination into this specific compound emerged in the early 20th century to describe a formal, temporary halt in hostilities.
Analysis
'cease' originates from Old French 'cesser', from Latin 'cessare' meaning 'to stop, cease'. 'Fire' originates from Old English 'fȳr', from Proto-Germanic 'fōr', referring to combustion or the act of shooting weapons.